KNOT ROOT GRASS. 43 



KNOT ROOT GRASS {Muhlenbergia racemosa (Michx.) BSP.) 



Seed, Plate 26, Fig. 6. 



Other Latin name: Muhlenbergia glomerata Trin. 



Botanical description: Knot Root Grass is perennial with a 

 vigorous root system. Its creeping rootstocks are branched, ir- 

 regularly tubercled, and send out numerous scaly runners, from the 

 ends of which stems develop. The stems are from one to three feet 

 high, rather succulent when young, becoming hard and woody when 

 old. They are freely branched, especially below, and form loose 

 tufts or rather dense, extensive mats. The leaves are narrow, nu- 

 merous and crowded, chiefly towards the base of the stems. The 

 panicles are narrow, three to four inches long, with short, upright 

 branches. The latter are densely crowded with narrow spikelets, 

 which consist of two awl-shaped sterile glumes, enclosing a single 

 flower shorter than the glumes. 



Geographical distribution and habitat: Knot Root Grass 

 is a native of Canada, distributed practically all over the country. 

 It reaches its greatest perfection on loose, gravelly or sandy soil 

 and does not thrive where the ground is too moist. In wet soil the 

 stems are low and the whole plant is often tinged with purple. 



Agricultural value: This plant has been subjected to experi- 

 ments for some time, but no conclusive evidence has been gained 

 regarding its agricultural value. About twenty pounds of good seed 

 should be sown to the acre for hay or pasture. 



Titania. Or, say, sweet love, what thou desir'st to eat. 



Bottom. Truly, a peck of provender: I could munch your good dry oats. Methinks I have a 

 great desire to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow. Shakespeare, Midsummer 

 Night's Dream, Act 4, Sc. I., 1595- 



Good provender, labouring horses would have, 

 Good hay and good plenty, plough-oxen do crave; 

 To hale out thy muck, and to plow up thy ground, 

 Or else it may hinder thee many a pound. 



Thomas Tusser, Five Hundreth Pointes of Httsbandrie, 1557. 



The term "goods" may be defined as something that is serviceable to the owner. The same 

 things therefore are goods to him who knows how to make use of them but not goods to him who 

 does not know. Land certainly can not be called a part of a man's goods if, instead of supporting him, 

 it brings him nothing but hunger. Xenophon, The Econi mist, 434-355, B.< , 



